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Rueda Appellation

Grape + climate + soil

The Denomination of Origin Rueda possesses exceptional natural resources for the production of top-quality wines. A combination of Verdejo grapes, continental weather and gravelly soils.

It is based along the banks of the river Duero and its tributaries Trabancos, Zapardiel and Adaja. In the heart of Castile and León, 74 municipalities in Valladolid, Segovia and Ávila, with exceptional natural conditions for producing high quality wines recognised the world over.

The Rueda appellation is the result of the climate, character and love for the land in this traditional wine-growing area.

The grape

verdejo

The Verdejo grape – the emblem of these wines – has been found in the Rueda appellation for centuries, perhaps even since the reign of Alfonso VI way back in the 11th century.

The aroma and flavour of Verdejo has hints of scrubland grass, with touches of fruit and excellent acidity. It produces great white wines thanks to the volume of the extract, and a characteristic bitterness that gives them the originality for which they are known.

Climate

A matter of contrasts

Level lands between 700 and 800 metres above sea level that withstand long, cold winters, short springs with late frosts and hot, dry summers.
These circumstances force the vines to look for water in the deepest parts of the subsoil.

Today, these practices have been done away with thanks to improvements in cultivation and with the incorporation of drip irrigation.

The difference in temperatures between day and night is the secret to its flavour: the sugar gained with the sun is offset by the acidity that isn’t lost during the cool nights.
The vines withstand up to 2,600 hours of sun exposure per year, an amount that would be excessive if it weren’t for the fact that the grapes ripen late.

Given its latitude, the Rueda appellation could be part of the Spanish Mediterranean arc, although thanks its altitude, it is considered to have a continental influence.

Soil

Rocky ground

Gentle rolling land and slopes swept by Atlantic winds. Extensive alluvial and torrential terraces line the banks of the River Duero and its tributaries Trabancos, Zapardiel and Adajan, grey-brown lands that are rich in calcium and magnesium, permeable and healthy with texture varying from sandy/loamy to loamy.

The best vineyards are found on the gravelly land, in grey-brown soil over rocky non-native deposits, with good drainage and a pH that fluctuates between 7 and 8.